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With the clock ticking toward the 140th Belmont Stakes on June 7, the troublesome quarter crack in Big Brown’s left front foot shows slow-but-steady improvement.

Tuesday, the Derby-Preakness champ jogged once around the main oval at Belmont Park, chaperoned by a pony, his first trip to the track since the quarter crack popped last Friday. Yesterday, sans pony, Big Brown galloped a mile-and-an-eighth under exercise rider Michelle Nevin. He came off the track bouncing, obviously wanting to do more, as trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. and equine foot specialist Ian McKinlay followed him back to the barn.

McKinlay, widely recognized as the best “foot man” in racing, has been guardedly optimistic that Big Brown will be at the top of his game when he bids for the Triple Crown. Yesterday after the gallop, McKinlay was satisfied with Brown’s progress.

“The first thing we looked at this morning, around the hairline [where the leg meets the hoof], there was a little hole where an abscess has drained,” he said. “That’s the best-case scenario. It’s definitely improving.”

McKinlay likened the pocket in Big Brown’s foot to a popped blister. Before he can patch the quarter crack, the skin under the blister has to dry out and harden. Once that patch is applied, hopefully by tomorrow or Saturday, Big Brown will get the green light for his all-important pre-Belmont breeze.

“We’re being cautious, letting nature take its course,” McKinlay said, adding the caveat that Big Brown (who was sidelined for 45 days last winter with hoof problems) “is not a fast healer. That’s the only thing that concerns me.”

Nevin, whom McKinlay called “our eyes and ears,” said there was “no difference, none at all” in Big Brown’s fluid stride.

“He’s the same horse,” she said. “He was very excited to go back to the track. He was so fed up (just walking the shed row), he was dragging me all over the place. Now that he’s been out two days in a row, he’s settled down a bit.”

Big Brown’s energy level is so high, Nevin said, “You’d never know he just ran two races back-to-back. He hasn’t lost a pound.”

The colt regarded as Brown’s principal opponent, unbeaten Japanese invader Casino Drive, had a timed gallop yesterday that was so slow, it will not appear as a workout in his past performances. Clockers caught Casino Drive going five furlongs in 1:12.2 and six furlongs in 1:25.2.

Edgar Prado, who won the Belmont with Sarava and Birdstone to upset the Triple Crown bids of War Emblem and Smarty Jones, respectively, was named Casino Drive’s jockey.